Mirage
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Fred would never forget his missing partner.


**Written For:**

 **Golden Snitch:** Prompt of the Day  
 _Prompt - swimming under the sea_

 **National Ice Cream Day**  
 _Prompt - Fred, Pansy_

 **Once Upon a Time:** Milah  
 _Prompt -_ _write a story where a character fakes their death_

 **Ultimate Writer Challenge  
** _Prompt -_ _Write a genre you've never written before_

 **Friends Competition:** TOW Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E  
 _Prompt - Write a crime story._

xXx

 **Mirage**

Fred stared out at the ocean. It was so calm. So eerie. Pansy used to love seeing the water like this. She would dive in, and it would take him forever to force her out of it, even if they had to get to work.

He clutched his badge in a tight fist. He remembered how excited he had been when he made detective. Then how disappointed he had been when he met his partner. It was a very emotional day.

He had known Pansy in school, but they had never gotten along. And then he was told he would be forced to work with her, and he would have to trust her to have his back.

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Somehow, though, they became friends. He had gotten to know Pansy in a way he never had in school because of their different social circles. She had a lot of rough edges due to a harsh upbringing, but there was still something soft inside of her. Once Fred cracked her hard outer shell, he could honestly say he enjoyed Pansy's company.

And they worked well together. They complimented each other. Pansy was more offensive while Fred tended to be defensive, and they always knew which tactic was needed for which situation.

They could read each other's body language well, and they knew the proper cues.

With how well they did together, Fred was sure they'd work together for many, many years.

Then _the case_ came. The one that changed everything.

It was a routine one. Helping the police find a serial killer. A killer that targeted young girls Pansy's age. The leading officer thought Pansy would make great bait.

Fred had been against it, especially since something had been off about Pansy during the case. It was like she was scared of something, but she refused to talk about it. Unfortunately, Pansy agreed to play bait. She would do everything she could to help solve the case.

He closed his eyes as he remembered how she disappeared, assumed dead. They never recovered a body or any evidence of her death, but with no one having anything to prove she was alive, everyone went with the pessimistic approach.

He dropped the badge onto the sand. At one time, that would have been like sacrilege to him, but with Pansy gone, Fred found that he just didn't care.

He took off his shirt and pants, leaving him in only his boxers. He ran into the ocean, deciding a swim to honor Pansy on the one year anniversary of her disappearance was the right thing to do.

When he got far enough out, he dove, swimming under the sea. He kept his eyes closed but allowed the water to rush over his head, making him pleasantly numb.

When he came up for air, he looked towards the shore and saw a figure wading in the water towards him. It looked like Pansy, but it couldn't be. She was forever gone. What he was seeing was a mirage, a trick of his hopeful mind.

The figure got closer, and it hadn't disappeared. Still, Fred stayed silent.

"What? I've been gone for a year, and you're not going to say anything?"

Fred blinked. "I'm trying to figure out if I'm hallucinating."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "You're not."

"How?"

She looked away. "I kind of needed to fake my death."

"Why?"

She stared at him again. "Do you remember how you knew something was bothering me?"

He nodded.

"I had a persistent stalker, and he was getting more and more threatening. I didn't know who it was, though, so I couldn't apprehend him. My parents thought I should fake my death until my stalker was caught."

"And you agreed?" Fred asked incredulously because that did not sound like the Pansy he knew.

"I was scared," she said. "I wanted to tell you, but everyone that I was working with about it told me no one could know. If you weren't a good enough actor, it wouldn't have been convincing. I'm sorry."

Fred thought he should be mad, but he was just relieved Pansy was okay. He grabbed her in a hug and held on tight and promised himself he would never let her go.

 _Fin_

xXx

(word count: 712)


End file.
